Pioggia a Firenze
by PhilLeeGirl
Summary: Tony/Maddie: He folded his hands over his flat, bare stomach, “Mads, we’re not going to melt. Get dressed. We’ve only got a couple of days left in Firenze, we should enjoy the city even in the rain.”


The Hotel Brunelleschi is a rare gem tucked away in a small courtyard only accessible by a smaller alley in the shadow of Florence's Il Duomo. Hidden in the basement are the ruins of a Roman bath, which guests are free to explore that their leisure. The middle tower is the only remnant of a medieval cloister. And the top floor? The top floor is heaven. If you know someone who knows someone, then you might get a room in the hotel. If your cousin ran away from New York and the family business to manage the hotel, then you might get the penthouse suite. The penthouse suite is only accessible by a series of locked doors and winding staircases that make you wonder if it is worth the trek. Until you open the last door. The luxurious appointed suite has spectacular views of the city and Il Duomo looks close enough to touch. Going up the short flight to the bedroom, it only gets better as wide open windows surround you with Cathedral and Tuscan views. Laying on the yellow silk of four poster bed, Florence is served to you like breakfast in bed. It is simply perfection.

Unless, of course, it has rained for three solid days.

Then it goes from exquisite to nice to just another hotel room to "we're going to be prisoners here the rest of our lives" pretty quickly.

Tony stretched as he woke, his hands spreading across the cool silk trying to find the warm body that should be next to him. Finding nothing but cooled sheets, Tony blinked open his eyes and leaned up on his elbows. A glance around the room found her standing in the window, wearing only an orange low-cut lace bar and a matching pair of tight boy shorts. Shadows danced over her creamy, smooth white skin and his eyes drunk in her perfect, elegant curves.

"It's still raining," she traced a finger through the foggy film on the window pane.

"Let's go for a walk," the suggestion rolled of his tongue.

Her head whipped around, "I said that it's still raining. It's pouring, Tony."

He folded his hands over his flat, bare stomach, "Mads, we're not going to melt. Get dressed. We've only got a couple of days left in Firenze, we should enjoy the city even in the rain."

A slow smile spread across her face as she turned to the wardrobe and pulled out clothes.

* * *

The summer rain was warm, so they skipped raincoats and hats. The umbrella turned useless as the wind blow the rain, which was coming down lightly, up and under the fabric. They wondered around the city, hand-in-hand or wrapped together; the rain muffled their laughter and kept their conversations to gentle whispers. They stopped into every church, big or small, for a few moments of relief from the rain and to enjoy the beautiful architecture and paintings. Maddie dragged Tony into the Bargello to admire the della Robbias and the sculptures by Michelangelo, Donatello, Cellini and Giambologna.

As they left the Bargello and wondered down the Via della Vigna Vecchia, the day's gentle rain turned to a heavy downpour. Grabbing Maddie's hand, Tony ran toward an open door on the street. As they crashed, laughing and soaking wet, into the space, they both quickly silenced. They had found a small church, perhaps at one point it had been a family chapel, covered in beautiful and bright frescos. Maddie slipped her hand out of his as she walked further into the chapel, her eyes wide with awe.

"Buona sera."

Tony turned and smiled at the old woman who had spoken. She was sitting in a battered old _Savonarola chair, crocheting a red poppy much like the hundreds pooled around her feet. Pulling several Euros from his pocket, Tony moved towards her, "Buona sera. Quanto?"_

_The old woman looked up at him, a twinkle in her eye, "Por vostr signorina?"_

_"Si," Tony smiled and looked over to where Maddie was smile gently as she stood in awe in front of the alter, "por mia bella signora."_

"Niente," she handed him a poppy from near her feet.

"Grazie," Tony gave her his most charming smile as he accepted the flower.

Walking up behind Maddie, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. Gently he ran the edge of the poppy down her cheek, making her shiver against him. Her head lulled back onto his shoulder, "For me?"

"Hmm," he kissed along her jaw, "_por mia bella signora."_

_"Grazie," she smiled._

_"Prego," he nuzzled against her again as they stood there listening to the rain outside the open door and the woman's gentle prayers. After several long minutes wrapped in each other and their own thoughts, Tony whispered in her ear, "Marry me."_

_Her hand ran down his arm to his hand, the rings on her left hand clicking against the ring on his left, "I thought we did that last week."_

_"That was for them, for our families and friends, for legality. Marry me again, here before God, for us."_

_She turned in his arms and smiled up at him. Her eyes studied his face before she nodded and quietly repeated words they said the week prior, _"I, Madeleine…"

"For us," he whispered again as he cupped her cheek gently.

She kissed his palm quickly, "I, Maddie, take you, Tony, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part."

"I, Tony, take you, Maddie, for my lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and health, until death do us part," he whispered back at her, his lips ghosting over her cheeks.

Her lips sought out his in a deep promissory kiss.


End file.
